As the first early voters headed to the polls in Williamson County on Friday morning, a campaign sign for Rep. Jeremy Durham lay crumpled beside a garbage can, just a few doors down from the embattled lawmaker's Franklin home.

Durham has blasted the investigation and said Thursday he never had any sexual contact with any of the women in the report. But in suspending his campaign, he acknowledged a "handful of interactions" are true.

Outside the Williamson County Administrative Complex voting precinct Friday, community leaders, business owners and residents reflected on what the news means for the county.

Williamson County Schools Superintendent Mike Looney was one of the first people to cast his vote for the Aug. 4 primary. Looney said he wanted to exercise his right to vote and to set a good example for his students and employees, but he said he was troubled by the report released about Durham.

Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, is suing House Speaker Beth Harwell and Attorney General Herbert Slatery, in part to prevent the possible release of the report on the attorney general investigation into Durham. File / Samuel M. Simpkins / The Tennessean

The most closely watched race will be who wins the Williamson County seat currently held by Rep.Jeremy Durham,who suspended his re-election bid one day after the release ofa blistering Tennessee attorney general's report detailing accusations of Durhamengaging in inappropriate sexual encounters with 22 women. Larry McCormack / File / The Tennessean

Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, has given no indication he plans to leave his leadership position in the House.
Reps. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, right, and Joe Carr, R-Murfreesboro, participate in a House Local Government Committee meeting in Nashville in 2013. Erik Schelzig, File / AP

In an eight-page letter to colleagues, embattled Rep. Jeremy Durham says it's a "legally (sic) impossibility" that he could have sexually harassed the 22 women who told the Tennessee attorney general Durham engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct. The Franklin Republican faces expulsion from the House this week. File / The Tennessean

“I certainly think the situation with Mr. Durham is tragic on many levels,” Looney said. “For him personally, it’s tragic. For those people who have supported him, I think it’s tragic, and for our community it’s tragic. It’s unfortunate that sometimes people do not do the right things. I think the voters in Williamson County are intelligent and informed, and I think that they will use their best judgment in making a decision in how to move forward in that race.”

One young mother, Sarah Barnard, who came out to vote with two of her sons, said her primary concern was the Williamson County School Board. But she also said it was especially important for her to vote in the primary because of the recent developments involving Durham.

“Jeremy Durham is still on the ballot,” she said. “Even though he has suspended his campaign, it is important to vote to make sure he doesn’t actually win.”

“It is also appalling that he is blaming Beth Harwell, yet it’s the men who are calling on him to resign,” Barnard said. “Why is he singling out Beth Harwell, when (Glen) Casada, (Charles) Sargent, (Jack) Johnson and Ken Moore have called on him to resign?”

Buy Photo

Anna Mills early votes at the Williamson County complex in Franklin on Friday, July 15, 2016. (Photo: Shelley Mays / The Tennessean)

Anna Mills, another young mother who came out with her daughter, said she only voted in the school board election and steered clear of the primary vote. But Mills wondered what impact the Durham news will have on the election.

“Honestly, I’m not sure how this will affect the vote since the news just came out (Thursday),” she said. “I don’t know if a lot of people have seen the news. If I hadn’t been scrolling through Facebook, I don’t know if I would have seen it.

“I think it could go 50/50. I think people could come out in droves because they are really mad, or maybe they just didn’t see it at all. People are busy, our Facebook feeds are clogged with a bunch of junk, so sometimes things like that just don’t come to light.”

Buy Photo

City of Franklin Alderman Michael Skinner early voted at the Williamson County complex in Franklin on Friday, July 15, 2016. (Photo: Shelley Mays / The Tennessean)

Franklin Alderman Michael Skinner said Durham’s actions are an embarrassment that can only be overcome by the community getting behind a good candidate. Durham faces a challenge in the primary from Sam Whitson.

“Williamson County needs to have good representation and I think the person who is currently serving us is not doing a good job," he said of Durham. “Sam Whitson, I think, will serve us well, and he is good for the community, too."

Skinner said the community has already seen previous Durham supporters distancing themselves from the embattled lawmaker. When there is a major news event in an election, people can be less likely to get out and vote if it’s a highly-contested election, he said, so he hopes people will see the importance of voting now.

Buy Photo

Ralph Drury early votes at the Williamson County complex in Franklin on Friday, July 15, 2016. (Photo: Shelley Mays / The Tennessean)

Ralph Drury, a local businessman who owns several properties around Williamson County, also said Durham’s actions are an embarrassment to the community.

“First of all, it’s terrible it all had to happen, both for Jeremy, I know him well, and his district, but the thing about it is his replacement, his replacement Sam, is the greatest guy going,” he said. “I think Sam will do a good job."

Drury said he also suspects that voters will move from Durham to Whitson, but that there may be some who remain diehard Durham supporters.

“Some are good friends of mine that I have worked side-by-side with in political races that just seem to be blinded,” he said.

Reporter Jordan Buie can be reached at jbuie@tennessean.com or on Twitter @jordanbuie